On Monday, David Richardson, the acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told staff he didn’t know the United States had a hurricane season, according to four people familiar with the exchange.
The comment, made during a routine daily all-hands briefing via phone and video, came just one day after the official start of hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast an above-normal season, with up to 10 hurricanes expected.
Two people present said it was unclear whether Richardson was joking. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, later claimed the comment was meant as humour. "Under Secretary Kristi Noem and Administrator Richardson, FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens," the spokesperson said.
FEMA Hurricane Season: Mixed messages and mounting uncertainty
The agency, however, is already facing internal turbulence. During the same meeting, Richardson told employees there would be no new disaster response plan this season—despite having previously promised to unveil one by 23 May. He explained he didn’t want to contradict the FEMA Review Council, created by President Donald Trump to evaluate the agency's operations.
The reversal baffled staff and added to the uncertainty. “The back-and-forth on updating the disaster plan and a lack of clear strategic guidance have created confusion for FEMA staff,” said one source.
Richardson, a former Marine artillery officer with no prior disaster management experience, previously served as assistant secretary in the DHS office for countering weapons of mass destruction. He has said he will continue leading that office alongside FEMA.
The remark about hurricane season has prompted fierce criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, posted the Reuters headline on X and added, “unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet.” Representative Bennie Thompson, senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, told Reuters:
"Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there.”
FEMA's cuts, departures, and diminished capacity
Since Donald Trump took office, nearly one-third of FEMA's full-time staff—about 2,000 people—have either been terminated or accepted incentives to leave. This includes one-fifth of its coordinating officers, who lead field operations during disasters. Sixteen senior executives also exited following Richardson’s appointment in May.
Richardson replaced Cam Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL who had been pushed out a day after telling Congress:
"FEMA is vital to communities in their greatest times of need."
His comments were seen as clashing with Trump’s stance. The president has repeatedly expressed a desire to shrink or even eliminate FEMA, arguing that states should take on more responsibility.
“FEMA has turned out to be a disaster,” Trump said in January during a visit to a North Carolina neighbourhood ravaged by Hurricane Helene. “I think we recommend that FEMA go away.”
Short-term gains, long-term risks
In an unexpected move, Secretary Kristi Noem approved Richardson’s request to retain over 2,600 short-term disaster response staff whose contracts were due to expire. These personnel make up around 40% of FEMA's workforce and are crucial for rapid disaster response.
But that has not eased concern. FEMA recently scaled back hurricane training and state workshops due to restrictions on travel and public speaking.
Internally, staff are still reeling from Richardson’s first-day ultimatum:
“If any of you try to obstruct my agenda, I will run right over you.”
Agency in the crosshairs
Created in 1979 and incorporated into the DHS in 2004, FEMA is tasked with coordinating emergency response across federal, state, and local agencies. Its role spans hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other disasters. But its reputation has been severely damaged, most notably for its sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017.
FEMA’s credibility has also been undermined by misinformation. The agency has become a frequent target for conspiracy theories, prompting it to create a dedicated rumour-control page on its website. One entry rebuts the claim that FEMA funds have been diverted to border enforcement:
"This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster-response needs."
Despite recent congressional funding of $29 billion for disaster relief, concerns remain over FEMA’s readiness. Earlier this year, Richardson announced that states would be expected to cover 50% of disaster response costs, up from the current 25%—a change that has not been officially implemented.
With hurricane season now underway and internal confusion unresolved, Richardson's remark has become a symbol of broader unease within the agency. Whether intended as a joke or not, the reaction it sparked underscores a more serious question: is FEMA ready when it matters most?
(With inputs from Reuters)
The comment, made during a routine daily all-hands briefing via phone and video, came just one day after the official start of hurricane season, which runs from 1 June to 30 November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast an above-normal season, with up to 10 hurricanes expected.
Two people present said it was unclear whether Richardson was joking. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, later claimed the comment was meant as humour. "Under Secretary Kristi Noem and Administrator Richardson, FEMA is shifting from bloated, DC-centric dead weight to a lean, deployable disaster force that empowers state actors to provide relief for their citizens," the spokesperson said.
FEMA Hurricane Season: Mixed messages and mounting uncertainty
The agency, however, is already facing internal turbulence. During the same meeting, Richardson told employees there would be no new disaster response plan this season—despite having previously promised to unveil one by 23 May. He explained he didn’t want to contradict the FEMA Review Council, created by President Donald Trump to evaluate the agency's operations.
The reversal baffled staff and added to the uncertainty. “The back-and-forth on updating the disaster plan and a lack of clear strategic guidance have created confusion for FEMA staff,” said one source.
Richardson, a former Marine artillery officer with no prior disaster management experience, previously served as assistant secretary in the DHS office for countering weapons of mass destruction. He has said he will continue leading that office alongside FEMA.
The remark about hurricane season has prompted fierce criticism from Democratic lawmakers. Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, posted the Reuters headline on X and added, “unaware of why he hasn’t been fired yet.” Representative Bennie Thompson, senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, told Reuters:
"Suffice to say, disaster response is no joke. If you don’t know what or when hurricane season is, you’re not qualified to run FEMA. Get someone knowledgeable in there.”
FEMA's cuts, departures, and diminished capacity
Since Donald Trump took office, nearly one-third of FEMA's full-time staff—about 2,000 people—have either been terminated or accepted incentives to leave. This includes one-fifth of its coordinating officers, who lead field operations during disasters. Sixteen senior executives also exited following Richardson’s appointment in May.
Richardson replaced Cam Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL who had been pushed out a day after telling Congress:
"FEMA is vital to communities in their greatest times of need."
His comments were seen as clashing with Trump’s stance. The president has repeatedly expressed a desire to shrink or even eliminate FEMA, arguing that states should take on more responsibility.
“FEMA has turned out to be a disaster,” Trump said in January during a visit to a North Carolina neighbourhood ravaged by Hurricane Helene. “I think we recommend that FEMA go away.”
Short-term gains, long-term risks
In an unexpected move, Secretary Kristi Noem approved Richardson’s request to retain over 2,600 short-term disaster response staff whose contracts were due to expire. These personnel make up around 40% of FEMA's workforce and are crucial for rapid disaster response.
But that has not eased concern. FEMA recently scaled back hurricane training and state workshops due to restrictions on travel and public speaking.
Internally, staff are still reeling from Richardson’s first-day ultimatum:
“If any of you try to obstruct my agenda, I will run right over you.”
Agency in the crosshairs
Created in 1979 and incorporated into the DHS in 2004, FEMA is tasked with coordinating emergency response across federal, state, and local agencies. Its role spans hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other disasters. But its reputation has been severely damaged, most notably for its sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in 2017.
FEMA’s credibility has also been undermined by misinformation. The agency has become a frequent target for conspiracy theories, prompting it to create a dedicated rumour-control page on its website. One entry rebuts the claim that FEMA funds have been diverted to border enforcement:
"This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster-response needs."
Despite recent congressional funding of $29 billion for disaster relief, concerns remain over FEMA’s readiness. Earlier this year, Richardson announced that states would be expected to cover 50% of disaster response costs, up from the current 25%—a change that has not been officially implemented.
With hurricane season now underway and internal confusion unresolved, Richardson's remark has become a symbol of broader unease within the agency. Whether intended as a joke or not, the reaction it sparked underscores a more serious question: is FEMA ready when it matters most?
(With inputs from Reuters)
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